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One of the most common questions I’m asked is, “Which is the Best Bahamas Island?” And the answer to this depends on the type of trip you want to take.
Choosing an island to stay on is one of the most important decisions you’ll make for your Bahamas trip. The Bahamas has around 30 inhabited islands (out of a total of more than 700 islands), so I’ve narrowed it down for you.
Top Things To Do In The Bahamas
This list includes public islands that each offer unique experiences, activities, and “vibes.” You can’t go wrong with any of these options, and if you have time, I highly recommend you visit more than one.
If you’re asking yourself, “Which is the Best Bahamas Island for Your Tri? Then here’s a full rundown that’ll give you the lay of the (is)land!
Great Exuma
Known For: some of the best beaches in the country, Stocking Island, being the most popular “home base” for exploring the Exuma island region.
Choose This Island If You Want To: be a beach bum, not leave your resort often, be off-the-beaten-path.
Best Accommodations: Grand Isle Resort and Residences (luxury), Hideaways Exuma (mid-range), vacation homes for every budget and preference.
Top Activity Recommendations: take a day trip to Stocking Island and hang out at Chat ‘N Chill’s restaurant and beach, try conch, and visit the Tropic of Cancer Beach.
Know Before You Go: your transportation options on Great Exuma are hiring a taxi or renting a car. Taxi rides can be very expensive, so if you want to leave your resort more than a couple of times during your trip, renting a car might save you money.
Nassau & New Providence & Paradise Island
Nassau & New Providence & Paradise Island
Known For: The Atlantis Resorts, being the capital of The Bahamas, pastel-colored British colonial buildings, being a popular cruise ship port.
Choose This Island If You Want: nightlife, to be “near the action,” to be centrally located to visit other islands, a family-friendly environment, to not leave your resort very often.
Best Accommodations: Grand Hyatt Baha Mar (luxury), The Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort (luxury), The Island House (boutique), The Royal At Atlantis (mid-range).
Top Activity Recommendations: take a chocolate tour, stop by a local fish market, shop at the Straw Market, Climb the Queen’s Staircase to Fort Fincastle, see the Nassau Lighthouse, visit the Aquaventure Waterpark, and take a day trip to Blue Lagoon Island.
Know Before You Go: These are the most popular islands in The Bahamas, which means they’re some of the most crowded and expensive islands to stay on. You should also be prepared for cruise ship crowds disembarking most days.
Staniel Cay
Known For: Thunderball Grotto, the swimming pigs.
Choose This Island If You Want: to be off-the-beaten-path, an active trip where you leave your hotel most days, to be centrally located to explore the Exuma islands region, to travel on a budget.
Best Accommodations: Embrace Resort (mid-range), vacation homes for every budget and preference.
Top Activity Recommendations: snorkel in Thunderball Grotto, swim with the pigs, visit the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, and swim with the nurse sharks at nearby Compass Cay.
Know Before You Go: bars and restaurants run on “island time,” meaning that service will likely be slower than you’re used to. You may have to get the server’s attention rather than waiting for them to approach. This is a cultural difference, not a sign of poor service.
Andros Island
Known For: being the largest of the Bahamas Islands, inland blue holes.
Choose This Island If You Want: seclusion, to be off-the-beaten-path, to avoid the crowds, to snorkel or dive.
Best Accommodations: Tiamo Resort (eco-resort), Small Hope Bay Lodge (all-inclusive).
Top Activity Recommendations: visit Blue Holes National Park, snorkel or dive in the Andros Barrier Reef (the third-largest barrier reef in the world), hike to Morgan’s Bluff, and take a boat ride through West Side National Park.
Know Before You Go: Many restaurants are closed on Tuesdays, and most restaurants don’t update their Google business profile. So you’ll want to call restaurants for their opening hours and reservations instead of relying on the internet.
Bimini
Known For: beaches, deep-sea fishing, scuba diving.
Choose This Island If You Want To: dive, avoid the crowds, be off-the-beaten-path, be a beach bum.
Best Accommodations: Hilton at Resorts World Bimini (luxury), Bimini Big Game Club Resort and Marina (mid-range).
Top Activity Recommendations: dive the Bimini Road (which legends say is a part of the sunken city of Atlantis), visit the shipwrecked SS Sapona, enjoy a moon party at Luna Beach, and swim with dolphins.
Know Before You Go: ATMs are available at some resorts, banks, and shopping centers, but they’re often not conveniently located to hotels and vacation homes. So I recommend bringing enough cash with you (especially if you’re from the U.S. with no currency change) or withdrawing lump sums to keep from making lots of visits to an ATM.
Grand Bahama
Known For: the city of Freeport, Port Lucaya Marketplace, Lucayan National Park.
Choose This Island If You Want: all-inclusive resorts, to shop, to golf, to travel on a budget.
Best Accommodations: Viva Wyndham Fortuna Beach (all-inclusive), Lighthouse Pointe at Grand Lucayan (4 star), Pelican Bay Hotel (mid-range).
Top Activity Recommendations: explore the colorful city of Freeport, shop at the Port Lucaya Marketplace, visit the Garden of the Groves, and dive or snorkel in Lucayan National Park, which is home to one of the longest underwater cave systems in the world.
Know Before You Go: Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted at hotels and car rental agencies, but most shops and restaurants don’t take credit cards. And most of the shops and restaurants that do take credit cards charge a 2.5-5% processing fee, which can add up quickly. So I recommend paying for meals and souvenirs with cash.
Eleuthera & Harbour Island
Known For: pink sand beaches, green sea turtles, surfing
Choose This Island If You Want: luxury accommodations, to escape it all, to be a beach bum, to not leave your resort very often.
Best Accommodations: Coral Sands Hotel (Harbour Island), The Cove Eleuthera (luxury).
Top Activity Recommendations: explore the historic city of Governour’s Harbour, eat at the Anchor Bay Fish Fry on Fridays, have some beach days on the world-famous pink sand beaches, visit the Edwin’s Turtle Lake Marine Reserve, and swim in the Ocean Hole, a natural inland swimming spot with tropical fish and turtles.
Know Before You Go: If you’re visiting one of the public beaches away from your resort, bring bags for your wet and sandy shoes and clothes. There usually aren’t showers for rinsing off. So always have a bag with you for wet and sandy clothes to keep from making a mess in your rental car or taxi.
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Recommended Tours in The Bahamas
For Planning The Rest Of Your Bahamas Trip
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Which is the Best Bahamas Island for Your Trip?
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best Bahamas Island to go to?
These are the top Bahamas Islands:
1. Great Exuma
2. Nassau
3. New Providence & Paradise Island
4. Staniel Cay
5. Andros Island
6. Bimini
7. Grand Bahama
8. Eleuthera & Harbor Island
Do I need a passport to go to The Bahamas?
Citizens of the EU, Australia, U.S., Canada, and the U.K need a passport, a return or onward ticket, and a confirmed hotel or vacation home booking. If you’re coming from one of these five countries, then you do not need a visa.
If you’re a citizen of another country, you might need a visa or visa-on-arrival to enter The Bahamas. You’ll want to check your country’s visa guidelines and requirements.
Your passport will need to have an empty page for your entry stamp and be valid for at least six months past your entry date to The Bahamas.
Cruise ship passengers visiting The Bahamas for a day are exempted from obtaining visas.
What is the safest Bahamas Island?
I felt very safe everywhere I went in The Bahamas. But, as with any destination, you need to take precautions to keep yourself safe. Don’t walk by yourself at night, stay in a secure and well-located hotel or vacation home, use slash-proof, lockable, and RFID-protected bags and purses, and always have a charged cell phone with you.
What part of The Bahamas is the prettiest?
The Top Places To Visit in The Bahamas:
1. Pig Beach
2. Blue Holes National Park
3. Great Exuma
4. Thunderball Grotto
5. Grand Bahama
6. Compass Cay
7. Harbour Island
8. Inaguau National Park
9. Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park
10. Paradise Island
What should I avoid in The Bahamas?
Things you should avoid in The Bahamas are:
1. Hurricane season.
2. Unmarked taxis.
3. Never leaving your resort.
4. Expecting punctuality – everything runs on “island time” here.
5. Haggling. You’ll need to pay the stated price.
What do I need to know before traveling to The Bahamas?
Bahamas Travel Guide – Know Before You Go:
1. The currency is the Bahamian dollar ($), which is pegged to the U.S. dollar. So 1 Bahamian dollar is always the same as 1 U.S. dollar.
2. U.S. dollars are accepted interchangeably with Bahamian dollars, so you won’t need a different currency if you’re from the U.S. But you may receive change in Bahamian dollars.
3. Exchange rates are subject to fluctuations, so be sure to check this as your trip approaches. On average, 1 Bahamian dollar equals about £.72 British Pounds, €,84, and 6.46 Chinese Yuan.
4. Tap or “still” water is safe to drink in The Bahamas, so you don’t need to buy bottled water.
5. Many restaurants are closed on Tuesdays, and most restaurants don’t update their Google business profile. So you’ll want to call restaurants for their opening hours and reservations instead of relying on the internet.
6. Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted at hotels and car rental agencies, but most shops and restaurants don’t take credit cards. And most of the shops and restaurants that take credit cards charge a 2.5-5% processing fee, which can add up quickly. So I recommend paying for meals and souvenirs with cash.
7. ATMs are available at some resorts, banks, and shopping centers throughout the islands, but they’re often not conveniently located to hotels and vacation homes. So I recommend bringing enough cash with you (especially if you’re from the U.S. with no currency change) or withdrawing lump sums to avoid making lots of visits to an ATM.
8. Bars and restaurants run on “island time,” meaning that service will likely be slower than you’re used to. You may have to get the server’s attention rather than waiting for them to approach. This is a cultural difference, not a sign of poor service.
9. Greetings are usually verbal rather than a handshake or peck on the cheek. It’s polite to greet everyone upon entering a taxi, shop, restaurant, or boat with a ‘good morning’ or ‘good afternoon.’
10. Electrical outlets in The Bahamas are Types A and B. So if you’re from the U.S., you won’t need an outlet adaptor. But British, European, and other travelers will need an adaptor.
When should you not visit The Bahamas?
The Bahamas’ High Season is from December to April because of the incredible weather in the mid-70s (24°C) and mid-80s (29°C). All tours, businesses, and restaurants will be open with regular hours of operation. But accommodation prices can be double what they are the rest of the year, and tourist numbers and cruise ship dockings are at their highest. So you need to make all of your reservations in advance.
The Shoulder months are May and June. The weather will still be mostly dry, crowds will be less, and businesses and tours should still be open.
The Low Season is from July to November during the rainy season. Hurricanes and tropical storms can occur, and rain is common. Many shops, restaurants, and tour operators close or reduce their hours during these months, but you can get some great deals on hotels and resorts that would be out of your price range in the peak months.
Which island in The Bahamas has the best beaches?
Bahamas Islands with the Best Beaches:
1. Harbour Island
2. Great Exuma
3. Paradise Island
4. Abacos
5. Long Island
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This article about which is the best Bahamas Island for your trip is not a sponsored post, and the thoughts and opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own. Some of the links in this post about which is the best Bahamas Island for your trip are affiliate links, and, at no cost to you, I may earn a small commission.
